


Talk To Me

by Cefhclwords



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, M/M, Resolution, grumpy eric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-17 00:16:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19328992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cefhclwords/pseuds/Cefhclwords
Summary: Dele forgets to put fuel in the car, but its more than that.





	Talk To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Read more and request at my tumblr by the same name: cefhclwords :) <3 hope you enjoy this! x 
> 
> I was never going to post this here, because I'm not that proud of this but I am planning to write a follow up to it when they visit Eric's family that is hopefully better haha so here it is :)

Eric’s not pissed off, he’s not at all, he’s totally calm and level headed and not biting his tongue so hard he can taste blood to stop himself from saying something in the heat of the moment he will regret.

It’s just that, Eric had asked Dele about five times that week to make sure the car was filled up. It was of the two things he asked Dele to do to prepare for the trip, pack a bag, and make sure the car was filled up and the tire pressure was ok.

Jesus they had even packed Dele’s bag together, so the boy had only really needed to prep the car. It would have only taken a trip down to the petrol station to complete both tasks, able to check the tires at the same time he filled up, even.

The most Infuriating part of it all really was that Dele had told him he had done it. When Eric had gotten home that afternoon, he’d given Dele a soft peck on his way in, wrapped his arms around his hips, and asked him ‘go ok with the car?’ Dele had nodded and given him a kiss to his cheek, whispering that he had gone fine and they were all set to go.

That thought, of Dele’s words that morning, was enough for Eric to unclick his seatbelt and climb quickly out the black Range Rover and the tense atmosphere that had enveloped it.

He spilled out the car and stepped into the iced air, quickly pulling his hood up to cover his head, the breeze freezing and cutting where it whipped through the air and over his face.

Eric strode six paces away from the broken down car, took slow and measured breathed in an attempt to control his temper, the heat and frustration pushing its way up through his chest and throat.

“Fuck” he muttered and scrubbed the back of his fists over his eyes before he hung his head back.

“Fuck he repeated angrily before he tangled his fingers together and twisted them till his knuckles cracked.

The small shoulder of the road they’d stopped on was pretty much pitch black, besides the slow, rhythmic flashing of their hazard lights.

They were only two hours away from his brothers home and Eric wasn’t too sure if that made it worse or better, that they’d made it so close before it all went to shit. It had just been the skid of the tires at first, the car slipping slightly on the wet sleet, Eric scrambling to pump on the breaks, managing to keep them steady.

As he’d started to consider pulling over for a few moments to check the state of the tires, the car slid again, longer this time, Eric struggling to get it running straight once more. Eric had decided to pull over, asking Dele if he noticed the tread on the tires when he checked them if they were okay or looked damaged at all.

Dele had shrugged and shook his head easily, hand still holding Eric’s over the centre console, where it had reached to tangle tightly with Eric’s after the second slight side of the car.

Eric had gotten out to check the tires, looking over them with a curious frown before he climbed back into the car, breathing into his hands to try and bring some warmth back into his body. “Not sure what’s going on, they look ok, just have to drive a bit slower and be careful” Eric explained.

It was when he went to turn the keys and start the car again that things had gone wrong. Eric hadn’t paid really any attention to the petrol gage as he drove, assuming he had a full tank, focusing instead on giving Dele shit about his music choices as chatting to him about their week ahead.

So when he turned the keys and the car just spluttered miserably, he frowned deeply, trying again as he turned the key over, the car miserably revving before it fell silent. “That- how can it” Eric grumbled before he looked to the fuel gage out of reflex. He stopped short when he saw the needle pointing neatly to the zero.

“Dele, why is the tank empty? You filled up this morning” he asked, turning to Dele who had a guilty look on his face.

“Right?” Eric clarified, hands gripping the steering wheel tighter as he exhaled sharply.

“Um, I might have forgotten maybe?” Dele replied in a whisper.

Eric didn’t even an answer for him, and they had sat there in the tension of a silent car before Eric had gotten out.

Eric sighed as another car drove past them, a cold air blowing over him, making him shiver.

They’d been planning this for about a month now, for Dele to properly be introduced to his family as his boyfriend as not just his best friend, organising it at his brothers place it was the easiest centre point for them all to meet.

Eric had been so excited at the aspect of getting to show them all just what Dele meant to him, and for Dele to become a proper part of his family. It was all the people most important him and Eric couldn’t wait to link them together properly.

Maybe that’s why he was so furious at Dele now for lying about the car, or maybe because it just made no sense for him to lie in the first place. If Dele hadn’t had time to do it during the day he should have just told Eric and they could have sorted it out together. Yes, Eric would have been annoyed, but it would have been an easy fix.

But now, stuck on the side of the road with a car that won’t run, light snow falling and no petrol source in sight, Eric wasn’t feeling in a forgiving mood.

Eric walked back toward the car and leant his arse against the hood, eyes closing as he tried to put together in his how to fix this, how to ignore the anger and problem solve so they could make it to their destination.

“Are you going to stand there all night?”

Eric’s head snapped up at the sound of Dele’s voice, nervous but firm enough that he could understand the words called out through the open passenger door window.

Eric sighed, his cheeks were numb and he had begun to shiver, and he guessed he wasn’t doing himself any favours to himself out here.

Eric turned and walked around to the passenger side and leant into Dele’s open window.

“Why didn’t you fill it up Del, fucks sake, like I asked you so many times and you said yes, like. How hard is it? I know you were just fucking around today with games and I had to drop Clay and Cisco to Jan’s and pick up the wine. Like, Dele come on” Eric’s words were measured, sharp and disappointed.

Eric sighed when Dele didn’t reply, looking to his left as he wondered if he should just call his family to see if someone could come and deliver petrol to them in a jerry can.

“I’m sorry” Dele’s voice was soft and he placed a hand on Eric’s freezing cheek, thumb rubbing. Eric kept his face turned and steadied another exhale out.

“Look- I can explain ok? I will explain, just can you get in the car you’re going to get sick” Dele asked, gazing up at Eric with tired, but honest looking eyes.

Eric nodded and reached to squeeze Dele’s hand where it was on his cheek, before he walked around to the passenger side, climbing in with a solid slam of the door.

Eric pulled out his phone as he waited for Dele to start talking, drafting up a message to his family Whatsapp chat to explain the situation and ask for their help.

“I um, I kinda freaked out” Dele’s voice was honest and it pulled Eric’s eyes away from the screen of his phone, to look at him instead.

“Uh, yeah” Dele’s hands were fiddling with the extra long white strings of his trackies, head down he spoke.

“Yeah I um kind of got really nervous about tonight, and I seriously forgot Eric, I was so consumed in my own head about tonight and I just didn’t do anything while you were out” Dele explained.

“And then you got home, and the first thing you asked me was if I’d gotten the car sorted and you sounded so happy and I was so embarrassed about how fucking stupid I’d been freaking out that I totally forgot” Dele sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, hand coming up to rub over skin of his forearm that was covered by his wing tattoo.

“And I don’t know I should have just told you or whatever but. It’s hard Eric I felt so dumb sitting at home actually terrified to see your family that I already know, cause now it's like- there’s this pressure you know” He shifted in the seat, turning his head toward Eric, but not opening his eyes.

“Because if something y’know happens with us- it’s like now I won’t just lose you, I’ll lose them too, this makes it real” Dele finally opened his eyes to meet Eric’s, teeth sunk into his bottom lip.

“I know um that-“ Dele cut himself off and waved his hand in front of him in an aborted motion. “I can’t help that-that’s where my mind goes you know” he sighed, and reached a hand up to his hair.

“Didn’t mean to fuck it up like this Eric I’m really sorry ok? I- I’m trying to be better with this stuff. I am, ok? And I fucked it up and now you’re mad and your family has to wait. I’m sorry ok”

Dele’s eyes were wide and sad and Eric’s heart tugged in his chest, feeling guilty at his reaction now that he understood the situation better.

“Del” Eric sighed, placing his phone down on his laps with the screen locked.

Dele interrupted him, “I know ok? It’s dumb and I’ll call for a service to come help or something, maybe you can Uber down from here? And I'll wait with the car till it can run again.

“Del shut up” Eric said sweetly, reaching over to rest his hand on Dele’s thigh.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel pressured with this- I should have thought about it and talked to you about it” Eric explained, thumb rubbing warm on Dele’s thigh to reassure him.

“I’m glad you told me, Del, and I’m sorry I got so mad ok?I just got pissed at being stuck here and I should have looked at the fuel light anyway” Eric reasoned with an easy shrug, trying his best to calm Dele.

Dele nodded, eyes worried as he watched Eric, making sure he was being honest. “But Del, you need to try to tell me this stuff, I wouldn’t have been mad if you were nervous, we could have talked” Eric added, smiling when Dele’s hand reached to take his where it was resting on his thigh.

“Okay. Promise, I’m sorry Eric, tell me how and I’ll fix it” Dele asked, squeezing Eric’s hand warm in his own.

Eric shook his head, picking up his phone to finish his message and send it out, “all sorted, one my brothers will come up I’m sure” Eric nodded, lifted Dele’s hand to press a kiss to the back of his hand.

Dele sighed and leant over the console to press an appreciative kiss to Eric’s lips, melting into it for a moment.

“Love you” Dele mumbled, nuzzling his nose into Eric’s cheek. “Thank you” he added, knowing that Eric would understand the thank you wasn’t just for messaging his family for help, but for understanding him, for being forgiving of when he fell short.

Eric was one of the best men he knew, and he proved that to him every day more and more.

“Love you” Eric echoed the sentiment, kissing Dele again in a small peck of lips.

“You’re still so cold” Dele mumbled, hands reaching to rub over the sides of Eric’s face and neck.

“Mmm well we got like at least two hours to kill before they get here, want to warm me up?” Eric asked with a little grin, sucking on Dele’s bottom lip.

Dele pulled back at Eric and grinned whispering a “yeah? licking his lips before he dove in for another kiss.

It’s almost an hour later, and the pair are still curled up together, Eric’s head on Dele’s chest, cuddled up in the backseat, music playing from Dele’s phone, when Eric presses his lips to Dele’s ear.

“Also, I don’t think you can really lose me Del, at this point, I’m kind of stuck on you if you hadn’t noticed” he muttered, hand petting down Dele’s side in slow strokes.

“We aren’t going anywhere Del, me, my family- no matter what, I’m never leaving your life ok? I'll always be here’ He squeezes Dele extra tight, breathing him in. He’d love Dele till he understood, he’d make sure that he was there every day, even when Dele got them stranded on the side of the road in freezing weather. Dele was always going to be so much more important than the small mistakes

“We’ve got you, I’ve got you” he concluded, kissing the top of Dele’s head, drawing a small love heart with the pad of his pointer finger right under Dele’s left rib, smiling at the goosebumps that rose on his skin.

Eric promised in his mind to keep Dele safe in that moment, no matter what happens between them- Dele would be safe with him. He’d make sure of it.


End file.
